Imagine your future house. There are some new trends in environmentally friendly homes that are on the horizon which initially may seem improbable but are already in the works. The Wall Street Journal recently explored this topic when they asked several architects to put together their ideas on the most energy efficient homes that they could imagine. The result? Some really cool ideas that are not as far fetched as they may seem.
Lisa's Blog
Insight to Real Estate News in Jacksonville & Ponte Vedra, Florida
I’ve been in real estate sales in the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach area for four years now. I started with a small brokerage company with only 2 other agents. This was a great learning environment for me because I had complete responsibility for building my business on my own. I earned my real estate broker license this spring and decided I was ready for a change. I found one! Last month I joined Prudential Network Realty. For those of you who don’t know Prudential (I think that may be only 2% of the adult population), it’s BIG!
If you’re wondering what to do next weekend you might want to consider the Beaches Gallery Tour. Art galleries from Atlantic Beach to Ponte Vedra Beach have united for the 6th year to celebrate the Beaches Gallery Tour. Nine beaches galleries will be open Saturday, September 26th from 10:00-5:00. They will be displaying art work by international, regional, and Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beaches artists. Art gallery staff as well as artists will be on-site for discussion and demonstration. Refreshments will also be served in each gallery. Sounds like a lot of fun!
Continue Reading “Beaches Gallery Tour coming on September 26.”
If you’re considering the purchase of a new home, you may be concerned with the issue of finance. Attaining the right mortgage is a key step in the home buying process, but it doesn’t have to be a stress-inducing one. Most lenders offer prequalification, pre-approval or both to help you know where you stand. Here’s the difference between prequalification and preapproval:
Continue Reading “Prequalify or Preapproval - What’s the Difference?”
A year after the financial collapse of 2008, the housing market is very different than it was before the foreclosure crisis. A great article in The New York Times gives new home buyers some guidance from economists and financial planners when contemplating a home purchase:
Here are the highlights:
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Lisa’s faithful real estate assistant! From time to time, I’ll appear as a guest blogger on her website. This summer, I had the opportunity to try a new (to me) yoga studio. I’ve had a great experience every time I go and wanted to share some info that I thought might be of interest, particularly to those of you who play tennis.
Recently I attended an informational meeting for St. Johns County real estate agents. The featured speaker was Ed Wuellner, the Executive Director of the St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority. I learned that the airport was established in 1963. There have been many changes in the last 46 years and in 2008 the airport had a budget of over $11 million. Mr. Wuellner explained that capital projects make up 80% of the airport’s budget and his goal is to have the airport be self-sustaining (and off the county tax rolls) by September of 2010.
Continue Reading “The St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority”
Tomorrow, June 20th, is the third Saturday of the month, and that means that Nocatee will be hosting its monthly Farmers Market again. Local farmers will be offering fresh fruits and vegetables (remember, it is peach season). There will also be handmade crafts, artwork and prepared food for sale, as well as live music and children’s activities. The Farmers Market will begin at noon and last until 4:00 and will be located off Crosswater Parkway. You won’t want to miss it!
FHA home loans are not just for first time homebuyers anymore! FHA home loans can offer easier qualification standards, lower down payment requirements, and lower monthly payments than comparable conventional loans. What is an FHA loan you ask? It’s a home loan from a federally qualified lender that is insured by the govt. via the Federal Housing Administration. It’s only allowed for primary homes (no vacation or investment properties), and can be used for properties with up to four units. Manufactured homes are also allowed.
Continue Reading “FHA Home Loans are Not Just for First Time Homebuyers Anymore!”
Last month I purchased a Toyota Prius and I couldn’t be happier. I’m averaging 48 miles a gallon and can fill the 11 gallon tank up with regular gasoline. Believe it or not, the interior is roomy and I can comfortably fit 4 adults in the car. When I’m working with a family or a larger group of people a bigger car is necessary, but usually I’m showing properties to only one or two people. I did purchase the navigation system and the blue-tooth capability--essential tools for any real estate agent. The car also has a back-up camera which projects onto the navigation screen. Very cool!
Continue Reading “The Prius is the Perfect Car for a Real Estate Agent”
